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Sunday, 31 August 2014

The next instalment of series 8 continues with a really fascinating and complex Dalek story which grated at the questions of Dalek morality and the question of can these creatures ever possess any emotion apart from hate and by the conclusion of this episode the answer is yes and no.Ultimately, when the doctor's mind combines with the Dalek's the Dalek clings onto the Doctor's hatred for the Daleks which fires the Dalek into exterminating his own kind. It raised a complicated question of the Dalek telling the doctor that he is a good dalek made me think about whether I thought this was true or not, and to an extent I did because everytime the Daleks have turned up the doctor has shown a rage and fire within him always leads to them being blown up.However, other occasions we have seen the doctor try to give the Daleks another option other than dying to which they have always unsurprisngly declined which has led to the Doctor destroying them.I commend Phil Ford and Steven Moffet for delving deeper into the very depths of a Dalek and allowing the viewer to think about what makes a Dalek and their relationship with the doctor.Now there wasn't only the Daleks in this episode, oh no there was the introduction of Danny Pink.I loved the quick transistions that Clara had to make from being in a school cupboard to then being minituarised and placed inside the most deadliest creature in the universe was something so unique to Who it just reminded me of what a life it could be.I enjoyed getting to know Danny and a bit about his history and personality without feeling like his character was misplaced in the story.Peter's doctor continued to intrigue and scare me at his dark, brass and moody incarnation as a clear statement of 'I'm the doctor and I am brilliant'.I like how he switches from being quite rude and harsh to the next making a pun and hoping someone laughs.Visually, I was so impressed by the different creative effects that were inccorporated in this episode for instance when the doctor and Clara are entering the Dalek and you get this kind of blue haze that makes them all distorted and watery was really something exciting.An imaginative, striking, fast, comical, dramatic and fascinating story!

Sunday, 24 August 2014

Finally, after waiting all these weeks and months it is here; the new doctor with a Scottish accent, grey hair and impressive eyebrows- this is truly the doctor 100%I think to have the series begin with a dinosaur rampaging down the thames can sum up the show in that first scene to anyone new.I love how this show constantly surprises its fans and the TARDIS certainly being vomited out of the dinosaurs mouth was a bonkers progression but one that I thought was just a statement saying 'this is the doctor and these are the things that happen'.Continuing on from this, I think it was right for Clara to be seen differently and respond differently towards the doctor that has a little more sparkiness to it that isn't all that playful. I believe the audience needs to see an emotional range of her character and see her change along with this new version of her friend.The dialogue that extrudes from Peter's doctor was delightful and uniquely strange in the way he executed it with his hand movements and those almighty facial expressions.Another delightful aspect to the new series was seeing the Paternoster gang again and gladly finding that Steven Moffet decided to give them stories and an evolution if you like in terms of their relationships with one another.They are a real credit to the show and an inspiration because they can teach younger fans that there doesn't have to be boundaries when it comes to relationships and in particular Madame Vastra and Clara's rather heated argument was so vibrant and thought provoking because it allowed you to see how Vastra feels about how some humans treat her differently and her judgement of Clara.Everyone's performance was sublime with an immense amount of energy and craft being absorbed into the characters and thier history.The length of time didn't bother me whatsoever because it meant more Doctor who all at once which is just fabulous.After watching it for a second time, I managed to understand what was being said without my dogs barking which allowed me to lent myself to the story and realise that the villains of this piece was the creepy Clockwork droids from the girl in the fireplace which made me very nostalgic.Additionally, I love how the threads of the story came together beautifully and meant you could understand the story without missing out on this new and intriguing doctor.The tone was admittedly a lot darker because it begged a question of did the doctor actually murder the half face man or maybe let him fall or manipulated him into falling.... who knows.This new character of Missy was very strange and invoking especially when she snapped like a dog and started to dance manically around the gardens of Heaven.I congratulate Steven, Peter, Jenna, Neve, Catrin, Dan and to everyone who contributed to the making on this subliminal piece of storytelling.